Oral hygiene and mouth care for older people in acute hospitals: part 2

Acute hospital admission provides an excellent opportunity to address poor oral health in older people, a group rarely seen by dental professionals and for who oral health activity in hospital is inconsistent and generally suboptimal.

This two-part article explores oral hygiene and mouth care provision for older adults in acute hospitals. The first article presented the findings of a literature review exploring oral and dental disease in older adults, the importance of good oral health and mouth care, and the current situation. The second article explores clinical recommendations.

A change in philosophy is needed to embed oral care as an essential component of holistic practice. More research is needed to determine the best ways to assess and treat oro-dental problems in older people, and promote and restore their oral health in hospitals. Great potential exists to innovate and develop new ways of providing care to this group.